System of automatic block-signaling for electric railways.



S. M. YOUNG.

SYSTEM OF AUTOMATIC BLOCK SIGNALING FOB. ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

APPLIOATION FILED IEB.B, 1906.

1,094,356. Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

Off/4M 7 IQ-I'ma? ATTORNEY K coLUMmA PLANOGRAPH CO..WASHINGTON. n. L.

SAMUEL MARSH YOUNG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SYSTEM OF AUTOMATIC BLOCK-SIGNALING FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914:.

Application filed February 8, 1906. Serial No. 300,166.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL MARSH YOUNG, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York city, county and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Systems of AutomaticBlock-Signaling for Electric Railways, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention consists in a system of automatic block signaling forelectric railways.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, the only system of automatic blocksignaling for electric railways which has been proposed, involved givingup the use of one of the traffie rails, as one of the returns for thepropulsion current. Such a system necessitated, the employment of acable return, having approximately the conducting capacity of the railso given up, and involved an extra construction expenditure of not lessthan two thousand dollars per mile; and further, was open to theobjection, that if the single trafiic rail which was used as one of thereturns for the propulsion current was broken, the whole system becameinoperative.

My improved system, which I will now describe, involves the use of bothof the traflic rails, as separate returns for the propulsion current. ITo effect this result, I provide means for bonding the sections, and insuch manner, that both traflic rails will act as continuous conductorsfor and freely transmit the propulsion current, and such bonding furtherserves to limit the action of the signaling current employed to therespective sections.

By reason of my improved construction, the propulsion current isnormally divided between the traffic rails, and either rail may carrythe whole of the propulsion current should the opposite rail be for anycause broken or otherwise put out of service. Further, owing to the factthat both rails are used as separate returns for the propulsion current,the interposed bonds may be so designed, that such current may be eitherdirect or alternating, provided when an alternating current is used, itshall differ in phase or frequency from the signaling current impressedupon the rails of the respective sections; and further, cross bondingbetween the rails of a section or between the rails of parallel sectionsmay be conveniently effected, thereby tending to equalize the propulsioncurrent between the return conductors and thus reduce the resistance ofsuch return conductors to the source of propulsion energy.

The object of my invention, concisely stated, is a signaling systemwhich will give the required indications, and without involv mg anychange in the conducting capacity of the traffic rails for thepropulsion current from that now usual in electric railway systems.

The accompanying dia rams will serve to illustrate my invention, andshow three distinct ways of arranging and bonding the traffic rails.

Referring to the diagrams Figures 1, 2 and 3 show different embodimentsof my improved system.

5 indicates a source of propulsion current which may be either a director an alternating current as desired: 6 a source of signaling currentwhich is an alternating current. In case the propulsion current is analternating current, the phase or frequencies of the propulsion currentand signaling currents should be different.

7 indicates propulsion feeder; 8 the signal feeder; 9, 10 trafiic railswhich are divided into three sections A, B, G.

In Fig. 1, the rail 10 is shown as continuous and the rail 9 as dividedinto three sections separated by insulation 11. In Fig. 3, both rails,9, 10, are divided into sections and separated by insulation 11. To makeboth rails conductive for the propulsion current there are introducedbetween the sections reactance bonds 13. These bonds may be variouslyconstructed and connected. In Figs. 1 and 3, the bonds are shownprovided with an iron core 14, around which is wound a coil 15. In Fig.2, the bonds 13 are formed by coiling a metal conductor upon itself. InFig. 1, the bonds 13 are connected across the trackway, z'. c.,a bond ateach end of a section with bonds in adjacent sections joined at theirpoint of meeting on the continuous rail 10. In Fig. 2, the constructionis the same as in Fig. l. The reactance bonds whatever their type shouldbe designed to freely transmit the propulsion current without saturationor loss of required reactance. In Fig. 8, where both rails are dividedinto sections, the bonds 13 are connected across the trackway at eachend of a section and the rail 10 of one section connected to the rail 9of an adjacent section by means of a conductor 16.

The bonds shown in Figs. 1 and 3, for the purpose of description, I callcore bonds; those shown in Fig. 2, I call coreless bonds. The connectionshown in Figs. 1 and 2,- I call a two-legged connection; that in Fig. 3,a zigzag connection. At the end of section A there is provided a bond 13and leading from rail 10 is a conductor 17, which is connected to thesource of propulsion current 5 and the source of signaling current 6.Located in the central section B is a motor car 18 from which leads acollector 19 bearing on propulsion feeder 7. The path of the propulsioncurrent is as follows: generator 5, feeder 7, collector 19, wheels ofcar 18 to rails 9 and 10. The current,-Fig. 3upon rail 9 flows alongrail 9, down bond 13, up conductor 16 to rail 9, where it divides, 'apart flowing along rail 9 to generator 5, and another part down bond 13of the next section, along rail 10 to generator 5. The current uponrail-10 flows along rail 10, up conductor 16 to rail 9, where itdivides, as has been described for the current on rail 9. It willfurther be seen, that the rails 9, 10, of a section with the bonds 13 atthe opposite ends, form a closed circuit, and that the path of the powercurrent from section to section is through a conductor connectingadjacent bonds. In Figs. 1 and 2, this conductor may be considered asformed by the rail 10; whereas, in Fig. 3, by the wire 16.

Located at the end of each section is a transformer 20, having itsprimary 21 con nected across the signal feeder 8 and the rail 10, andits secondary 22 connected across the rails 9, 10. By this means adifference of potential is excited between the rails 9, 10, whichdifference of potential is confined to the section in which it is setup, by means of the bonds 13, these bonds being of a type which willfreely permit the passage of the power current, but interpose reactanceto the passage of the signaling current. Situated at the opposite end ofeach section is a relay 2-3. Any suitable type of relay may be employed.In order to prevent the power current from flowing through the relay, Iemploy a transformer 24:, which has its primary 25 connected across therails 0, 10, and its secondary 26 across the terminals of the magnet ofthe relay. This relay is adapted to open and close a local circuit 27including a signal 28. It will be observed from the position of thesemaphore arms that, reading from the left, the signals are respectivelyat clear, danger, and clear.

The operation of my system will be read ily understood. hen a motorvehicle enters a block, the secondary 22 of the transformer 20 is shortcircuited. This deenergizes the relay 23 and allows the signal to go todanger by gravity, as shown in section B. Normally, however, thealternating difference of potential across the rails 9, 10, causes therelay to close a local circuit and thus draw the semaphore arms to theclear position shown in sections A and C.

I wish it understood that I do not limit myself in anywise to theconstruction of the reactance bonds which may be employed, or to theirmethod of connection in the traclc way, as any bond which will serve tofreely permit the passage of the propulsion cur rent, thus making bothrails serviceable as a return for the power current and which willpractically confine the alternating difference of potential set up in asection to that section, thus effecting segregation of the sections forthe signaling current, will be within the scope of my invention.Manifestly, the exigencies of practice will require long and shortsections, hence in certain lengths of sections, I may use one form ofbond, while in another, I may use another form of bond. Further, I maycross bond the rails of a section, or I may cross bond the rails ofadjacent parallel sections, the object of such parallel cross bondingbeing to equalize the return propulsion current to the source ofpropulsion energy.

This application includes matter disclosed in my prior application tiledNovember 6, 1908, Serial No. 180,081, which issued as Patent No.757,587, and which latter case was in certain respects a continuation ofmy prior application, Serial No. 154,275, filed April 25, 1903.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In an electric railway signal system: two lines of rails, each of saidlines of rails having insulation inserted therein at intervals formingblock signal sections, each insulation in one line of rails beinglocated approximately opposite an insulation in the other line of rails;a source of signaling current; means for connecting said source acrossthe rails of each block; translating devices, one connected across therails of each block; signals, one for each block controlled by thetranslating device of the block; a car; a propulsion motor for the car;a source of propulsion current of a character diiferent from that of thefirst named source; means to connect one terminal of the second namedsource to one terminal of the propulsion motor of the car; connectionsfrom another terminal of the motor of the car to looth track rails;concally connecting the rails to another termi- 10 ductors, oneconnecting one rail of each nal of the source of propulsion current.

block with the diagonally opposite rail of In testimony whereof, I aifixmy signature the adjacent block; reaotance coils, one conin the presenceof two witnesses.

nected across the rails at both ends of each block, said reactance coilsallowing the prac- SAMUEL MARSH YOUNG tically unimpeded flow ofpropulsion cur- Witnesses:

rent, but substantially preventing the flow FRANK OGoNNoR,

of signaling current and means for electri- M. G. CRAWFORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Gommissioner of Patents,

, Washington, D. G.

